Battle of Oriamendi

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Maella


caption=The death of General Pardiñas in the Battle of Maella
partof=First Carlist War
date=March 16, 1837
place=Fortification of Oriamendi, near San Sebastián
result=Carlist victory
combatant1=Carlists "supporting"
Infante Carlos of Spain
combatant2=Liberals ("Isabelinos" or "Cristinos") "supporting"
Isabella II of Spain and her regent mother Maria Christina
flagicon|UKGreat Britain
commander1= Sebastian de Borbón
commander2= Baldomero Espartero, Prince of Vergara
George de Lacy Evans
Pedro Saarsfield
strength1=
strength2=
casualties1=
casualties2= ~1,000 and 1,500 |The Battle of Oriamendi was a battle fought on March 16 1837 during the First Carlist War.

The battle was part of a campaign in spring 1837 when the liberal Army tried to chase the Carlists from the Basque Country. They attacked from three points: general Pedro Saarsfield from Pamplona, general Espartero from Bilbao and a British-Spanish force under George de Lacy Evans from San Sebastián.

On March 15 the British Legion conquered a fortification known as Oriamendi on a strategic hill near San Sebastián.
The next day the Carlists under Sebastian de Borbón counterattacked and after a long battle, drove the British-liberal army back to their trenches outside San Sebastian. This force had suffered between 1,000 and 1,500 casualties and covering fire from the British Navy prevented the withdrawal from becoming a disaster.

After the battle the Carlists besieged San Sebastián, but never succeeded in taking the city.

The defeat caused an outrage in the British parliament. The battle was a great boost in morale for the Carlists, and lives on in the Marcha de Oriamendi, which became the anthem of the Carlist movement.

External links

* [http://www.balagan.org.uk/war/iberia/1833/chronology1833.htm Balagan]
* [http://zm.gipuzkoakultura2.net/historiamilitardelsiglo19/batalla-oriamendi.php?titulo=ORIAMENDI.%2016-III-1837&negrita=ori Historia militar del siglo XIX en el País Vasco]